Once again, the Palestinians have risen up to the stalemate against the continued century old oppression and Nakba or ethnic cleansing process imposed on them to this day by the State of Israel. Whether it was exchange of bullets, stone throwing, knife wielding or stabbing, protests, road blocks and any other form of demonstration you can think of, the Palestinians continue to be slammed by the toxic and potent injustice perpetuated by the international community and particularly countries like the United States that have shown continuous and unconditional support for Israel under all circumstances.

With the failure of the negotiations since their introduction via the Oslo Accords along with the failure and slap-in-the-face gesture of non-binding recognition of Palestinian sovereignty through statehood; the United States is now focusing the attention on the Al Aqsa mosque and discussing the need to "ease tensions" there that have been simmering for weeks now. The Palestinians are once again being faced with the same cycle of political violence and injustice by the international community and Israel's allies such as the United States and Jordan as the focus on Al Aqsa is once again distracting from the real issue and root aspect that needs to be addressed- Israel's occupation and colonization through the past and present Nakba process.

When the Palestinian issue is approached from this angle where focus is being directed to Al Aqsa mosque, it silences the suffering of the Palestinians and minimizes the nature of the oppression on multiple levels- one being confining the issue to one on access to religious sites as opposed to restoring the political rights of the Palestinians. It becomes a perpetuation of the status quo as opposed to putting an end to the Nakba process. Most importantly, it reinforces and strengthens the Zionist narrative of victimhood from "religious animosity" as opposed to understanding and acknowledging the Palestinians over century long victimization via the silent and incremental genocide experienced under this perpetuated false narrative.

Focusing on Al Aqsa mosque gives the impression that this is an issue of religiosity. This is false. The Zionists want the world to believe that the issue is a war between Muslims and Jews that is centuries and centuries old, predicted and mentioned in religious texts and that this some kind of inevitable issue that needs to be managed by the United States before Armageddon and the return of the Messiah. On the contrary, the Palestinians who are both Muslims, Christians and Jews are fighting illegal occupation, colonization, ethnic cleansing, torture of prisoners, apartheid, settlement expansion, settler violence including their religious violence in the form of desecration of Palestinian churches and mosques.

Therefore focusing and zooming on Al Aqsa manipulates, sanitizes and omits what is happening in actuality with the Palestinian people. Damage control does not serve the interests of the Palestinian people. What the world needs to acknowledge and accept is that the Palestinian issue is a political one, not a religious one. Hence, the problem is not exclusive to access to a sacred site whereby the "excellent solution" of camera installations is making use of what is perceived to be an attempt to resolve a religious issue to create another political trap like the "negotiations" and the "statehood" recognition designed to crack down on the resistance to the ethnic cleansing process along with the permanent oppression imposed on them all these years. Palestinians are dealing with a much greater picture than Al Aqsa which is related to the systemic facilitation of this Nakba process; fuelled by settler colonialism and further enhanced by settler violence that even senior Israeli commander's acknowledge this.

Therefore, the focus on the Al Aqsa mosque being the root issue in these wave of events is the third distraction tactic following the negotiation process and the recognition trend respectively. Both the first and second wave have only provided more time and space for Israel's expansionism and continued colonization and occupation while leaving Palestinians in a position of pause as a result of two intifada's that produced these counter-resistance strategies. Since this latest wave of uprising has been deemed as a third intifada, we are now witnessing the third counter-resistance strategy taking place- having the world perceive the problem as one of religiosity- with a particular focus on Al Aqsa and the "religious rights" of Jews.

Instead of the world focusing on how Israel has and continues to plan to impose its past and present ethnic cleansing policies against Palestinians everywhere including Jerusalem, the focus is shifting to religious rights and access to religious sites. If the world decides to go this route and make the focus on Al Aqsa, let the world be rest assured that it will be the only thing left of Palestine as the land and its people will evaporate which will eventually include Al Aqsa as well thereafter; meaning there will be no more Palestine or Palestinians.

While remembrance and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Canada end, settler colonialism continues to be perpetuated and celebrated.

As the world watches Canada and its citizens celebrate today with street festivals, fireworks and various events in the midst of summer holidays; many including Canadians themselves either do not realize or are wilfully blind to what this day represents to indigenous peoples of the land- a celebration of Settler Colonialism. Settler Colonialism has five logics embedded in the structural psyche of the State-building apparatus; the logic of elimination, the logic of expansionism, the logic of denial, the logic of racialization and the logic of exceptionalism.[1]

Canada Day: Al Nakba and the implementation of Settler Colonialism

Focusing on the logic of elimination as the main logic supported and justified by the latter four logics, today was the official founding of Canada as a settler colonial state with the uniting of the colonies via the British North America Act, 1867.[2] The founding process was aided by a sequence of events that facilitated the logic of elimination needed for the Canadian State to come into being mainly, the ethnic cleansing of the indigenous peoples via law and policy particularly in the Plains to clear the lands for settlers to immigrate.[3] The indigenous peoples who survived the ethnic cleansing process were to inhabit enclave and reservation territories- lands from which the indigenous children were then forcibly removed from their parents and families to attend Residential Schools justified through the Gradual Civilization Act, 1857[4] thereby creating a legacy of cultural and spiritual genocide that lasted for over a century due to the past and continuous systemic attempts to "kill the Indian in the child."[5] Setting aside the missing children and mass graves resulting from the legacy and the status of which continues to be unknown[6], the legacy consisted of systemic raping of children by the clergy running the schools.[7]

The same can be said about the Palestinian experience with Zionist settler colonialism; the planning of which started in 1799 during Napoleons presence in the region but was sharpened after the British took interest in supporting this initiative.[8] The provisions within the Basle Program during the First Zionist Congress in 1897 clearly outlined and stated how the colonization of the land of Palestine was the crucial element needed to establish the settler colonial aspirations of the Zionist movement.[9] After World War I and the splitting of the Middle East region into colonies between the British and French through the Sykes-Picot Agreement, the historic land of Palestine became a British mandate to be protected and given to the Zionist movement as promised through the Balfour Declaration soon after. After political strife between the British and the Zionist movement the issue was then handed over to the United Nations by the British to resolve after their withdrawal from the land of Palestine whereby the United Nations Partition Plan, 1947 came into place splitting the land into two separate entities-indirectly giving legitimacy for a settler colonial state to be founded in the face of resistance. Given the lack of coherence and consultation with the indigenous peoples of the land and the disagreement over the political developments that were taking place, the ethnic cleansing process began to surface and be implemented as was planned in advance. The ethnic cleansing process resulted in the displacement and Diaspora of the Palestinians; a great deal of whom are on to reservation and enclave territories as well known today as the West Bank and Gaza Strip.[10] The ethnic cleansing process implemented against the Palestinians came to be known as the Nakba or 'the Catastrophe'- an incremental genocidal process that continues to this day through bureaucratic means to facilitate the logic of elimination through various laws and policies such as the State of Israel's Basic Laws, the law of the right of return and many more- the issues of which are reflected and reinforced in the final report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur.[11] Most importantly, both settler colonial states have and continue to target the cultural and spiritual relationship the indigenous peoples have with the land, an experience known to the Palestinians as memoricide[12] which is precisely the same consequential and situational circumstances for indigenous peoples in Canada in relation to the Residential School legacy due to the forced learning of the English language and the Catholic religion while being alienated from their land and communities.[13]

The Internationalization of Al Nakba: Transitional Justice and the Politics of Reconciliation

Last month, closing events were held in relation to the end of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Canada; a Commission created as part of the Transitional Justice Process known as the Residential School Settlement Agreement. The Residential School Settlement Agreement was the legal process of monetary compensation created for the indigenous peoples of Canada that survived the Residential School legacy that lasted for over a century but yet continues in bureaucratic, judicial and institutional forms such as the Child and Family Services.[14] The end of the Commission included the release of their final report on the legacy in relation to the Transitional Justice Process. Based on the findings of the latest report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur[15] as well as those within the final report of the Commission, it is clear that much work needs to be done and to continue in a sustainable manner for any form of justice to adequately transcend and elevate society to a better place in the Canadian context.[16]

The same can be said about the Palestinian context. Although Transitional Justice initiatives are slowly starting to surface and ideas are taking place with organizations such as Zochrot leading the way in the case of the Palestinians[17], there is much work to do to officially reach to a Transitional Justice Process with adequate and proper compensation and restitution that would be sustainable and just for a better transcendence of the overall society. However, the United Nations reports of the Special Rapporteur demonstrate that there is much work to do and that includes the recognition of the Nakba process in both cases for indigenous peoples as the starting point since recognition, provides understanding, awareness and realization which are the breaking points towards transformation. As in the final words of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Canada- "It is time for reconciliation"[18], meaning it's time we stop celebrating settler colonialism.

Remembering the plight of refugees across the world is also a reminder of the Nakba via the deliberate peculiar status of Palestinian refugees under international refugee law.As the world rightfully dedicates this important day to the remembrance of the plight of refugees across the world; particularly the rise of dispossession globally to unprecedented numbers whereby 1 in 122 people is either a refugee, internally displaced or seeking asylum there is a missing component pertaining to this topic that continues to be ignored- the status of Palestinian refugees.Refugee affairs across the world, whether it be the Syrian refugees fleeing the civil war and conflict in the region, the Iraqi's in the same circumstances of fear of persecution, or the Rohingya's in Burma all fall within the mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees under international law. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is the international legal body that is mandated to administer and govern refugee affairs across the globe through its Statute and legal personality.However, the only refugees in the world that are administered and governed outside of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees mandate are the Palestinians. The Palestinian refugees fall under the administration of the United Nations Relief Works Agency; a specialized agency solely for the Palestinian refugees dispossessed since 1948 after the ethnic cleansing process that occurred. The refugee camps administered by this agency are within the neighboring countries of Lebanon, Syria and Jordan as well as those dispossessed internally within the West Bank and Gaza Strip.UNRWA and Statelessness: The institutionalized Nakba and memoricideThere are various categories of dispossessed such as refugees, internally displaced people asylum seekers and stateless people. The United Nations Relief Works Agency defines Palestinians as "persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period of June 1946 to 15 May 1948 and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict." Given this defined status of Palestinian refugees by this specialized agency; Palestinians are therefore rendered stateless reinforced by the international legal definition of Statelessness. Considering and categorizing Palestinians as Stateless means that they have no place to return to since historic Palestine has now been replaced with the State of Israel; meaning that they are to legally evaporate as a distinct group of people into the fabric of other nations through the acquiring of other nationalities or citizenships thereby legislating and judicializing the erasure and memoricide campaign through the avenue of international law. Therefore the options for Palestinians is either to be permanent welfare recipients of "relief and humanitarian assistance" or to assimilate into other nations and accept the erasure of their own distinct identity and culture.The problematic nature of the Palestinians status within the realm of international refugee law has been clearly reflected within the various other conflicts that involve refugees. For example, the Palestinian refugees in Syria have been deeply affected and scapegoated by the civil war in Syria which has also affected the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon due to the spillover affect over the borders. The Yarmouk refugee camp has been caught up in the conflict and used in the midst of the battlefield whereby the plight of the Palestinians was retriggered and reinforced into a relived Nakba and dispossession; some of whom have been caught in the typical legal vacuum when trying to flee into neighboring countries such as Lebanon leaving them with no international legal protection. Furthermore, the Palestinians have been victimized and dispossessed again with the Islamic State advances in Iraq forcing them to flee to other areas in Iraq. In fact, the Palestinians have been particularly victimized after the fall of Saddam Hussein and the US-British invasion of Iraq whereby many of them have and continue to be stuck in the deserts of Iraq gone unnoticed with no place to go reinforcing the legal vacuum and black hole that the international law regime is perpetuating against the Palestinians and their rights.Palestinians and the indigenous rights frameworkNotwithstanding the fact that the UNHCR is colluding in the plight of the Palestinian people through hiring of the services of GS4; a British security company that provides surveillance technology to Israel's prisons holding Palestinian children against international law and setting aside the fact that the right of return for Palestinians is preserved under international law through United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194(11), the Palestinian right of return is also protected under the framework of indigenous rights within the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; particularly Article 10. The Palestinians are the indigenous peoples of the land, that have been dispossessed and ethnically cleansed as result of the imposition and creation of a settler colonial state that continues to expand and engage in this ethnic cleansing process or Nakba against the Palestinians many of whom remained on the land as internally displaced or those 20 percent who reside as third class citizens of this settler colonial state. The protection provisions under the indigenous rights framework guarantees the right of return to the land of historic Palestine regardless of the statehood status as indigenous rights is not exclusive to the existence of statehood but rather is focused on the ancestral and traditional relationship of the particular people to the land. Therefore, World Refugee Day should not only be about the rightful remembrance of the plight of refugees and the dispossessed across the world but also to remember the alienation of the Palestinians and their rights under these circumstances experienced in silence and under the watch of the international body-politic that professes international human rights law.

As battles rage inside the refugee camp between the Islamic State and pro-Assad factions; the Palestinians are caught in the middle as usual; reinforcing their Nakba via displacement and dispossession.As the 67th year of remembering the Palestinian Nakba steadily approaches; the Palestinians have and continue to be permanently trapped in enduring the reinforcement of the Nakba not only by the so called 'Jewish' State but by the 'Islamic' State.

The Nakba also known as the 'catastrophe' signifies the ethnic cleansing and the incremental genocidal process that occurred against the Palestinians by the State of Israel in 1948 which caused the dispossession and displacement of 750,000 Palestinians from their ancestral homelands;[1] forced to settle in refugee camps such as Al Yarmouk in neighboring countries of Syria, Lebanon and Jordan as well as the camps for the internally displaced within what are known as the occupied territories of 1967 of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.[2]

Notwithstanding the fact that the Nakba or the incremental genocidal policy of slow violence and ethnic cleansing continues to this day by Israel through bureaucratic and military means[3] such as the latest assault on the Gaza Strip known as Operation Protection Edge[4]; the Palestinians have been subjected to the same circumstances with the emergence of the so called 'Islamic' State. Given that the Palestinians have been scattered across the deserts of Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein following the occupation of Iraq by United States and British forces[5]; they have also been repeatedly dispossessed and displaced by the Islamic State across the territories they have taken control of inside Iraq. [6]

The situation in Syria further demonstrates this permanent and consistent state of dispossession and displacement against the Palestinians that has now taken place more profoundly with the latest take over developments by the Islamic State of the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk.[7] In addition to the latest renewed Nakba; some Palestinian factions are dragging themselves and interfering in the internal affairs of the conflict situation[8]; thereby further alienating the Palestinian refugees and the overall Palestinian cause with the violation of the traditional Palestinian stance or protocol of non-interference.

Last but not least, the international law regime is enabling and facilitating the Nakba and plight of the Palestinian people even further towards permanent potency and toxicity. The Palestinians unlike any other refugees in the world fall under the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) as opposed to the Syrian refugees for example who fall under the mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).[9] Such judicial terrorism has placed Palestinian refugees in a precarious legal black hole due to the Stateless status that they have been defined under as opposed to refugee status that would have an international legal right of return therefore falling under the mandate of the UNHCR. The discriminatory treatment by international law against the Palestinians have kept them vulnerable particularly in times of renewed Nakba's as was demonstrated with those who tried to flee to Syria and into Lebanon.[10]

The Palestinian Nakba by the State of Israel was perpetuated and made possible after the infamous Sykes-Picot agreement that divided the Middle East region into British and French colonies; leaving Palestine a British Mandate promised to be transferred to the Zionist movement as per the Balfour Declaration.[11] Almost seven decades later, Palestinians remain in diaspora, dispossessed and colonized and have experienced countless renewed Nakba's with the emergence of groups like the Islamic State that are also perpetuated by the Sykes-Picot Agreement.[12]

Given the direction in which the region is heading with the self-imposed genocide and the self-destructive nature of the political situation; it is distracting the world from the incremental genocide and slow violence that the Palestinians have and continue to endure. Developments such as the recent events in Yarmouk are a reminder to the world of the importance of remembrance-remembering 67 years of dispossession and diaspora of the Palestinians while the Nakba continues. Most importantly, it is about remembering that the words Never Again remains to be a continued fantasy.

Careful analysis of both entities demonstrates that the similarities between the two particularly in relation to Palestine are far more parallel in the region; the only difference is that one is recognized and accepted by international law.

The emergence and rapid spread of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has shocked the world immensely. However, it should be no shock due to the fact that such brutality is nothing more than a reflection of a historical context connected to a contemporary one; the raping of British and French colonizers of the region initially which included the creation of the State of Israel via the Infamous Sykes-Picot Agreement; followed by the raping of the United States and Britain of Iraq which included the facilitation of sectarian politics in Iraq and now Syria.[1] Consequently this campaign of violation resulted in giving birth to the illegitimate children named Islamic State insurgents as a result of such a colonial violation and political molestation that has become nothing more than learned behavior from the said crusaders who like the said children have justified their criminality with religion;[2] in the name of Sykes-Picot.

Setting aside this fact and given that the crusaders continue to deny the regrettable nature of this rape campaign[3], let us not forget that in many ways the actions of the so called Islamic State are disturbingly no different than the so called 'Jewish' State. Hence the purpose of this article is to demonstrate the deep similarities between the two entities to expose to the world that their so called shock and disgust of the barbarity of the Islamic State is hypocritical and nothing more than the perpetuation of the politics of double standards, logic of exceptionalism and racism when silent about the same in relation to the 'Jewish' State.

First and foremost, the State of Israel has been coined the Jewish State of Israel and the Levant, signifying its similar occupying and expansionist nature as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.[4] Notwithstanding, the fact that both the Jewish State and the Islamic State share a common historical/religious nostalgia; the former being in relation to the 'return' or 'Aliyah' to the promised land or the Ancient Kingdom of Israel and the latter being the 'return' of the Ummah or 'Hijra' to the Caliphate, both entities have been a product born out of centuries of Crusader oppression and humiliation as well as rooting back to the Sykes-Picot Agreement; all in an attempt to create a 'solution' or 'safe haven' to both Jews and Muslims respectively.

Second, both entities are influenced by extreme ideologies that combine religious extremism, nationalism and an overall politics of superiority. In the case of Israel, Zionism is the ideological state apparatus governing the said State which has been designated as a form of racism and racial discrimination as per the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3379 that was later abrogated with the assistance of the United States.[5] The Islamic State on the other hand is influenced by the ideology of Salafism/Takfirism; an extreme and rigid form of Islam combined with nationalism.[6] The same way that Israel wants to be referred to and recognized as the 'Jewish' State meaning that non-Jews have no place or are second or third class citizens[7], the Islamic State is engaging in the same in relation to non-Muslims. Moreover, both entities have an intra-racial hierarchal social setup based on superior-inferior relations in connection to racial/ethnic purity of 'Jewishness'[8] and 'Islamicness.'[9]

Furthermore, both entities were established or born initially out of insurgencies that became States via terrorism. The 'Jewish' State was established through the works of the Stern Gangs of Lehi, Irgun and Hagana absorbed into what are known today as the Israel Defense forces[10] whilst the 'Islamic' State are insurgents that are an off-shoot of Al Qaeda. Notwithstanding the fact that both Jews and Muslims have voiced disagreement and condemnation in the past and present in relation to the aspirations, goals and objectives of both Zionists and Salafists respectively, both insurgencies were trained or assisted by the once-friends-now-enemy Crusader forces that are simultaneously guilty of humiliating them. In the case of Israel, they were assisted by the British and French with isolated incidents of cooperation from Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany such as in the case of groups like Lehi in particular; until the British became targets.[11] In the case of the Islamic State, Al Qaeda was created by the United States in collaboration and facilitation with Pakistan and Israel through a covert CIA operation known as Operation Cyclone[12]; with the United States now an enemy.

It is worth noting that both entities require military involvement to be part of-or a recognized member of the entity-as well as the fact that both have drawn foreign members to join the rankings of these insurgencies. In the case of Israel, foreigners from all over Europe joined the ranks and in fact continue to do so do today through programs and policies known as Mahal that has been historical and continues to the contemporary.[13] As for the Islamic State, foreigners from all over the world are flocking towards the region to join the ranks with dire consequences for those who attempt to abandon their roles serving this entity militarily[14]; consequences equally present within the State of Israel for those who attempt to do the same.[15]

Both entities have been established or exist at the expense of the indigenous peoples and minorities of the lands through the committing of serious war crimes and crimes against humanity such as ethnic cleansing.[16] Notwithstanding the fact that the 'Jewish' State has and continues to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity against the Palestinians; latest being Operation Protective Edge that continue to go unaddressed, it has ethnically cleansed the Palestinians in 1948 the means through which it was established and declared a State whilst the ethnic cleansing and incremental genocidal policies continue in bureaucratic and military means targeting other segments such as the Bedouin minority.[17] The 'Islamic' State has ethnically cleansed the indigenous peoples and minorities in Iraq and Syria such as the Yazidis, the Turkmens and the Assyrian Christians among others.[18] Even acts such as beheadings conducted by the 'Islamic' State have been advocated for by certain 'Jewish' State leaders against the Palestinians.[19] Moreover, the same way the 'Islamic' state insurgents burned a Jordanian pilot alive, 'Jewish' State settlers have done the same to a Palestinian teenager.[20] Last but not least, both entities have committed cultural and historical genocide due to their demonstrated drive towards the destruction, desecration of history and culture. The same way that the 'Islamic' State has destroyed important archaeology, ancient ruins and historical property of Mesopotamia, the 'Jewish' State has and continues to commit the same including what is known as memorycide-the erasure and manipulation of any relevance or history of the Palestinian people, indigenous to the lands.[21]

This brings us to the final and most important similarity; the reinforcement of the Nakba against the Palestinians, given the suffering and experiences Palestinians have to face at the hands of both entities demonstrated in both Iraq and Syria whilst in the midst of Operation Protective Edge and the international law regime maintains and facilitates impunity by standing idle and silent.[22] The similarity is further demonstrated with the fact that both have the same enemies which include Hamas; the Palestinian Islamic resistance movement.[23] What makes the Islamic State and the Jewish State different is the fact that International law applies to one but not the other. The Islamic State is facing a worldwide bombardment campaign from a coalition of the willing, backed by sanctions and justification for intervention by various United Nations Security Council Resolutions[24] along with an expansion of the military interventions by some whilst the crimes committed by the 'Jewish' State and the actions that have and continue to occur remain unaddressed[25] by the same intervening powers that have in fact justified and defended these crimes in many cases as opposed to enforcing legal measures be it military or economic.[26]

The choices of the international community in relation to the applicability of international human rights law are perpetuating the problem. With choices comes circumstances; circumstances that the international community will not be ready to handle so long as the double standards are left to continue. In other words, the Palestinians will continue to pay the price having to experience and deal with two Nakba's; the primary one by the 'Jewish' State and the secondary one by the 'Islamic' State- leaving the international law regime nothing but an enabler of injustice for the Palestinian people.

The timing of the movie release can be seen as an attempt to create damage control in the minds of the American people after the release of the CIA Torture Report to reinforce the legitimacy of the U.S occupation and invasion of Iraq.

Following the release of the CIA Torture Report which outlined the savagery of the United States in relation to its War on Terror campaign and the use of Guantanamo Bay prison; Hollywood released American Sniper- a movie directed by Clint Eastwood famous for his acting role in the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The movie attempts to restore the hearts and minds of the American people as a guilt management tool to demonstrate through covert and overt content within the script that the American soldiers are the good, fighting the bad and "savage" Arabs and Muslims and are victimized by the ugly which is the various aftermath related issues with war against "savages", the sacrifice attached to legitimacy.

Dehumanization of Arabs and Muslims as "Savages": A Virtual Reality

First the movie starts off by demonstrating and constantly reinforced to the viewer that the "Good" American Sniper is the epitome of manhood- a loving father, a great husband and raised in an exceptional moral upbringing based on religious and church values. The logic of exceptionalism prevalent with the American Sniper is very clear in the movie; this man of higher morality and ethics has a duty to save the world from evil as he is god sent and chosen by a higher power to do so; thereby explaining this higher moral compass. It is particularly shown through the sheep, wolves and sheepdog scene. The American Sniper was raised to think that there are three options in this world; the sheep who are the weak, vulnerable and preyed upon by the predators who are the wolves. The sheepdogs are the protectors and saviors; they are moral and ethical and have no evil but are forced to confront the evil wolves and defeat them to protect the sheep. This is what the movie portrays about the character build of the American Sniper as well as the overall logic of American exceptionalism.

The American Sniper then finds his purpose after witnessing the twin towers in New York be hit by planes with no other political or historical context explained. Just that Americans are being attacked because for their democracy and freedom as was fed to the American people. The oversensitive, protective and saviour essence and instinct of the American Sniper pushes him to join the military where he finds his highest potential and purpose; to snipe and invade those "Bad" in Iraq who are supposedly responsible for attacking the United States. He is then given the title of "the legend"; demonstrating again his exceptionalism, superiority and rational thinking and military decision making capabilities and undefeatable immortal being as a protector or "sheepdog."

However, after serving four tours in Iraq he finds himself overwhelmed with his purpose in life as a savior with a Jesus complex. He has to protect his country from evil so that he can protect his wife and children but his wife and children need him to be physically present for them to feel protected. The price of having a "clean conscience" is shown with having to deal with sniping children; something that hurts the American Sniper very much due to his romantic humanitarianism as opposed to the butcher Arab who has no problem murdering children.

After confronting so much "Bad" and "Evil" Arabs and Muslims in Iraq such as the likes of the so called "butcher" and the Iraqi Sniper, the American Sniper further dehumanizes Arabs and Muslims by portraying that Arabs and Muslims are savages, said both covertly and overtly in various parts of the movie. Furthermore, the supposed evil and non trusting nature of the Arabs and Muslims is further demonstrated through the scene where the Iraqi that invited them to the dinner table was using hospitality to exploit the kindness and moral American army but was discovered by the superior thinking and capabilities of the American Sniper where he found the hidden weapons inside the house of this particular Iraqi they had dinner with. This is one of the many "ugly" sides of the Arabs and Muslims that the movie portrays; a complete falsehood whereby the opposite is true as hospitality in the region is a reflection of the cultural and moral values of the people with no treacherous motives. Last but not least, after finally deciding to be with his wife and children again as his mission has been accomplished after hunting down the main savage he was after; he is torn by his inability to continue serving his purpose of "saving" and "protecting" turning him sick; thereby ends up being recommended to a psychologist or therapist by his wife. The movie shows through the psychologist scene that there is nothing wrong with having a saviour and jesus complex and that instead it is a matter of fulfilling and feeding this complex by working with wounded and permanently disabled soldiers in gaining back their pride and dignity. He therefore dies as a martyr and a crusader to save and was overwhelmed by his own duty assigned to him by god as a saviour.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: The actuality of context and reality in relation to Savagery.

Whether Clint Eastwood wants to admit this or not savagery is when a foreign occupying army like the American's invade a country against international law and with faulty and inexistent evidence of weapons of mass destruction or any connection to attacks on the twin towers.[1] Savagery is when a foreign and occupation army like the American soldiers have prisons like Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib both of which clearly demonstrated mass human rights abuses, torture and humiliation of mostly innocent civilians with the use of "rectal feeding", force feeding and waterboarding among many others.[2] Savagery is when a foreign and occupation army like the Americans decide to forcefully enter into a country that is a cradle of civilization and a sacred place to cause and destroy, desecrate and loot the religious, historical and spiritual sites.[3] Savagery is when a foreign and occupation army like the Americans go into a country as saviours of god whereby their leader George Bush stated that he had a dream that God told him to invade Iraq[4] and to send his "crusades" there to save the Arabs and Muslims from their savagery causing the death of millions of innocent; especially children that are born with deformities caused by American weaponry.[5] Savagery is when a foreign and occupying army like the American's rape the land of Mesopotamia including its citizens.[6]

There was a scene in the movie where the American Sniper was told by his commanders on their way back in Tour Two to "Put the fear of god into these savages." When you analyze and examine the reality, the Iraqi's did just that. The fear of god was definitely implemented as clearly demonstrated through the suicide statistics of the American soldiers who were involved in combat in Iraq.[7] The American soldiers who served in Iraq can speak to the world about their experiences in Ramadi and Fallujah; two cities that have and continue to haunt the American soldiers.[8] The Iraq war caused the loss of more American casualties in the war than on September 11, reinforcing the falsehoods in the movie and its defeating purpose given the current circumstances and the ever more dangerous situation that the world is living in as a result of this invasion.[9]

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly in relation to "savagery" becomes very clear once the context is clarified. Given the actuality of the context of this war, American Sniper as a title along with the script to go with it is another ideological and brainwashing tactic by the United States media apparatus against their own citizens; directed by Clint Eastwood. Clint Eastwood doesn't understand that you can dream and live a virtual world all you want, but eventually you will have to wake up to reality such as the CIA Torture Report and the other messes related to the war facing the fact that the cost of war overly surpassed the perceived benefits. It is in the best interest of the citizens of the United States to wake up from the permanent state of dreaming and virtual reality imposed and attempted by Hollywood and start saving themselves from their own government and military savagery or continue to be sheep, dealing with the wolves in their own internal body-politic that are disguised as sheepdogs. This is the true war of legitimacy; to seek, find and know the truth.

The International Criminal Court's involvement on the issue of Palestine is another farce and diversion tactic facilitated by the international community to deflect from responsibility to the past and continued Nakba.

Following the International Criminal Court's acceptance of Palestine within its jurisdiction after the Palestinian Authority had submitted a request asking for same, the court has recently initiated a probe to determine preliminary findings meriting potential and evident war crimes in Palestine.[1] Given the Israeli response to the Palestinian Authority's submission whereby the Palestinian tax revenues were withheld in retaliation to the ICC move[2] Israel also submitted their accusations of war crimes committed by Palestinians clearly stating that Israel will not allow its soldiers to be dragged to the said court.[3]

Judges and lawyers have a duty and responsibility to uphold justice and the rule of law. Justice is the attachment of truth to affairs and law is the attachment of respect to affairs. When it comes to the International Criminal Court and its current conduct with the issue of Palestine, both respect and truth for Palestine and the Palestinian people's affairs are null and void; covered under the veil of justice and law. The institutionalization and facilitation of an international conspiracy and lie in relation to Palestine, also known to the Palestinians as Al Nakba, started from 1799 and executed in 1948, exacerbated in 1967 and continuing to this day in both military and bureaucratic forms.[4] And yet, the response to this fact that is rendered as a fiction by both the international community and the instruments of the international law regime such as the International Criminal Court is the continued manufacturing of "justice" to the Palestinians through a reciprocal mechanism whereby fictitious narratives are painted as factual and packaged as truth and respect.

The Nakba and the manufacturing of facts through fictitious narratives.

The next lie is the narrative that Palestinians and Palestine is a fiction in itself; that there was no such thing as Palestine or Palestinians and that they are a politically motivated and politically invented people as per the statements of former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir during the 1960's and U.S. Republican candidate Newt Gingrich in the 21st century.[5] After the launching of the Palestine Liberation Organization in the 1960's and enforcing and representing Palestinians distinctive identity and attempt to restore their rights as a nation and a people through various revolutionary operations and guerilla tactics, Israel decided to occupy and incrementally squeeze and enforce the genocide of the Palestinians out of what was left of the historic land of Palestine from 1967 to the present in the name of fighting the Palestinians "anti-Semitic terrorism."

In response to Israel's genocidal occupation, oppression and colonization in the remaining Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the Palestinians had an intifada or uprising in 1987 which lasted to 1991 where the next lie was born which was the Peace Process and Oslo Accords whereby negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis was to take place. It is a lie due to the fact that the so called "peace process" turned out to be a mechanism to maintain the Nakba of the Palestinian people through Israel's constant annexation of land and settlement building along with recognizing their right to exist in exchange for nothing other than co-opting the Palestine Liberation Organization as a corrupt leadership that facilitates the Nakba as well as the interests of the State of Israel whilst having Palestinian resistance efforts halted, paused or distracted by the so called negotiations.[6]

Following the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and the democratic elections that took place during the leadership vacuum as a result of his death, the democratic principles of the international community turned out to be a lie as the election win of Hamas was not accepted and therefore promise for the fulfillment and restoration of Palestinians democratic aspirations was also a lie. The international community since the Oslo Accords to date wanted the co-opted and corrupt PLO to be a permanent dictatorship or one party rule to be the sole representatives of the Palestinian people.

Given the leadership circumstances which resulted in a divide and conquer reality where the Palestinians started fighting each other over leadership-distracted from the real and common problem-the Israeli colonization and occupation- this division included the isolation of the Gaza Strip from the world through an eight year blockade continuing to date as a collective punishment measure against the Palestinians for choosing democracy. After three military campaigns against the blockaded strip and the failure of Israel at weakening Hamas both militarily and in popularity along with the transparent reality of the uselessness and oppression of the negotiation process another lie was created specifically after Operation Protective Edge and that is going from the "negotiations" to the "recognitions."

"Recognition" of Palestine is another fiction like the negotiations and "peace process" due to the fact that there is nothing to recognize about Palestine. They don't need to be discovered, they were already there before and after Operation Protective Edge and they know who they are and why they are there, given the fact that their existence has been their resistance. Further to this fictitious reality from a political standpoint, it is fictitious from a legal standpoint as it is a non-binding recognition and therefore non-enforceable among other legally problematic matters related to this issue.[7] It is another diverting and distracting tactic implemented and facilitated by the international community towards the Palestinians as a demonstration of a supposed action and results oriented solution in connection to justice for the Palestinians, with the International Criminal Court as the guilt management tool used by the international community to maintain this reality.

The International Criminal Court: Fact or Fiction?

Given the above mentioned information, what can be expected from an institution like the International Criminal Court when it accepts the submission of jurisdiction of Palestine by a leader who is illegitimate and was not democratically elected-therefore farcical. Or when it recognizes Palestine as a state meaning two things; that it is only within the territories or borders of 1967 ignoring the Palestinians within the territories of Israel and the rights of the refugees in diaspora as well as the fact that due to the permanent occupation of the 1967 borders by Israel through the annexation of land and settlement building; one of the criteria needed for Palestine to be a "state" within those borders is a "defined territory" that is no longer so due to the settlements and occupation by the State of Israel.[8] Therefore, based on the criteria used by the courts and the international law regime the statehood of Palestine is a lie and a falsehood both historically, politically and legally and yet the court continues to accept fiction as fact.

For justice to be served, it requires the truth to be recognized and accepted and therefore rendering it non-negotiable; meaning either the implementation of a genuine and successful transitional justice process that would through a Truth Commission acknowledge, recognize and accept the Nakba of the Palestinian people that has been facilitated and imposed both in the past and in the present. In other words, putting an end to the Nakba through this justice process based on restorative justice, restitution and compensation or be faced with the continued resistance of the Palestinians against the institutionalized injustice of the international law regime. The instruments of the international law regime such as the International Criminal Court are guilty of factual discrimination; continuing in the implementation of the Nakba through the fictitious pursuit of justice expecting the Palestinians to accept crumbs out of the bread of justice and the rule of law. With no real and genuine justice, there will be no real and genuine peace; meaning the lies have to stop starting with the international community and their instruments such as the International Criminal Court to truly start working for justice by ceasing in their politics of self-lying.

This entails accepting the factual reality that Israel is a terrorist, settler colonial state born out of the international community's collusion; guilty of countless past and present war crimes and crimes against humanity including ethnic cleansing and apartheid[9] and a permanent violator of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in relation to the Palestinians. Anything different is fiction.

Hamas’s initial political and significant popularity surge began after the Disengagement Plan of 2005 that was implemented by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at the time which involved the complete removal of Israeli physical presence from the Gaza Strip; including the dismantling of all settlements. The said plan came as a result of the consistency and steadfastness of Hamas’s resistance against Israel’s colonial and occupational presence; thereby promoting the decision by Ariel Sharon to withdraw.[1] Consequently, Hamas won democratic elections in 2006 through a sweeping majority win monitored and confirmed by the Carter Foundation.[2]

Due to these developments, the international community decided to shun Hamas’s renewed and legitimized position; thereby giving Israel the go ahead in the implementation of an illegal blockade on the Gaza Strip as a collective punishment strategy that has lasted for over 8 years and continues to this day post Operation Protective Edge.[3] Setting aside the failure of the blockade in weakening or compromising Hamas and the Gaza Strip with the de-development of the Strip geographically and economically along with three military campaigns unleashed against the Strip - latest being Operation Protective Edge-Hamas’s popularity rejuvenated further after the said latest.[4]However, it is critical to emphasise the fact that the events that transpired in relation to Hamas and the Palestinians after the Disengagement Plan in 2005 are events that must and ought to be perceived from the counterinsurgency lens as the appropriate contextual applicability framework through which we are to understand the situational circumstances today in Palestine and the overall Nakba; especially with the sudden re-emergence of Mohammad Dahlan[5]; given the historical evidence that is connected to the contemporary. With that being said, Israel’s attempts at implementing a counterinsurgency strategy and Nakba maintenance against Hamas are in threefold.

First and foremost, the elections themselves were a seductive trap for the Palestinian movement. It was a counterinsurgency trap due to the fact that although the elections were conducted in a genuine democratic process and a reinforcement of legitimacy for Hamas; it was already clearly outlined from the start based on the Oslo Accords and the Negotiations also known as the ‘Peace Process’ that the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) or Fatah was to be the “sole legitimate representatives” of the Palestinian people in relation to the said process of a Nakba continuum. Mohammad Dahlan was a key player in ensuring the facilitation of the Nakba via the negotiations; including the persecution of any resistance efforts or stances against the so called negotiation process.[6] This institutionalized Nakba of imposed dictatorship and occupation of government extended via Fatah and the PLO continues to be facilitated by the international community today including Ban Ki-Moon. Therefore, the purpose of the election process and the luring of Hamas into it was a divide and conquer tactic by Israel that was rendered successful after the suspicious nature of the death of Yasser Arafat.[7] Mohammad Dahlan along with Israel have been considered prime suspects in the evident and subsumed poisoning of Arafat[8]; causing the birth of the leadership vacuum- whereby relations between Hamas and Fatah collapsed due to the failure of the formation of a National Unity Government. The Palestinian leadership was left distracted with fighting each other before their fragile restoration post Operation Protective Edge that remains to be on the verge of faltering again.

Notwithstanding the illegal blockade implemented as a collective punishment strategy against the democratic aspirations of the Palestinian people as well as a failed attempt to weaken and undermine Hamas by trying to influence the people to “lose their hearts and minds” towards Hamas; the United States, Canada and Israel in coordination with the Palestinian Authority attempted to implement another failed counterinsurgency policy. It was known as the Dayton Project- the training of a security force that would have the ability to facilitate a coup of some sort against a democratically elected government. This force was managed by Mohammad Dahlan and as a result of the exposure of the corrupted intention of this force via the Palestine Papers[9] including the overall project led by U.S. General Keith Dayton, Hamas took over the Gaza Strip; rendering any attempt towards a national unity government null and void. Dahlan resigned from his position as National Security Adviser in the aftermath of Hamas’s take over.

Following these events including the three military campaigns conducted against the Gaza Strip by Israel; the latest being Operation Protective Edge-this latest campaign in particular involved an evident change in political and security coordination in the region. The United Arab Emirates; a country where Halliburton and Blackwater are deeply and heavily involved with[10]; worked very closely with Egypt and Israel against Hamas that Israel called a relationship of renewed ‘security cooperation’.[11] This is significant due to the fact that Mohammad Dahlan is based in the United Arab Emirates[12] and given his history in relation to security related matters; particularly against Hamas such as the likes of the Dayton Project; it is clear what this renewed ‘security cooperation’ means and the sudden reappearance of Mohammad Dahlan in the Gaza Strip on the political forefront.[13] This regional change is further demonstrated with Qatar’s renewed position and relationship with both Egypt and the United Arab Emirates; following a period of deep political and diplomatic turmoil as a result of Qatar’s staunch support of Hamas along with their $1billion contribution to the reconstruction of Gaza.[14]

Operation Protective Edge has cornered Israel on both the military and diplomatic fronts. Militarily, Israel underestimated Hamas’s capabilities and their overall resistance as the response to Israel’s aggression was unexpected; given their constant improvement in military surprises. Diplomatically, Israel is being faced with the sudden and rapid spread of recognition of Palestine; especially by the European Union, including the recent removal of Hamas from the terror blacklist.[15] The diplomatic avenues regarding Palestine have been led by Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas; latest being the United Nations Security Council Resolution presented in relation to a timeline for Israel to withdraw its occupation from Palestine.[16]

Given this information and developments that have transpired on both fronts post Operation Protective Edge, Israel wants a third option to alleviate the pressure from having failed militarily with Hamas and diplomatically with Fatah. Therefore, the idea of introducing a third potential form of leadership with Mohammad Dahlan-who has been problematic to both Hamas and Fatah- to override and undermine both political parties would best serve Israel’s continued colonial and occupational interest in facilitation, cooperation and agreement of states like Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. The Israel-Egypt-United Arab Emirates triangle is committing a new act of war via a renewed counterinsurgency strategy that allows Israel’s colonial and occupational identity to continue breathing as opposed to suffocating. Time will demonstrate that they are on the wrong side of history- on the side of the Nakba- i.e. ethnic cleansing and incremental genocide; thereby continuing in “losing of the hearts and minds of the people.”

The recent events that transpired in France in relation to the magazine political and satirical cartoons have reminded us of the sheer belligerent ignorance of the human race in relation to genocide education.

Following the unfortunate events that transpired in France in relation to cartoons and satirical expression regarding Islam and Muslim affairs, the world populace was adamant about joining the "Je Suis Charlie" movement- a supposed demonstration and response to the attacks as a symbolic and protective message in connection to "freedom of speech." Notwithstanding the fact that this is an unquestionably important and protected negative right under domestic and international law[1], it is a reminder that the human race remains to be belligerently ignorant when it comes to the politics of genocide and genocide education.

Two of the major genocides that have occurred in our world have been the Holocaust and the Rwandan genocide. What the "Je Suis Charlie's" fail to understand is that it is through caricatures and cartoons about a specific race, ethnicity or religion that are foundational and systemic tools that facilitate events leading to a successful genocide campaign whereby the use of such forms of expression are portraying an overt or covert stereotypical message regarding the specific race, ethnicity or religion targeted; especially in a systemic form of incitement in collusion and with impunity by the political-legal system in place.

Examining the history that led to the events of the Holocaust, evidence shows that one of the known and successful tools used by the Nazi regime was the use of caricatures, cartoons and satire about Jews to aid and abet in the incitement of genocide and genocidal politics. Some of the magazines that were involved in this are but not limited to Lustige Blatter[2] and Der Stuermer.[3] It was through such potent use of expression about Jews that the European powers used including France that were later perfected by the Nazi regime are what played a major and significant role leading to the disastrous events of the Holocaust. Therefore, the political-legal system was null and void when it came to protecting Jews as this was merely an issue of "freedom of speech", "freedom of expression" and "freedom of opinion."- causing the death and destruction of 6 million Jews.

The Rwandan genocide demonstrates evidence that is disturbingly similar. Setting aside the fact that European colonial powers such as Belgium were responsible in creating and facilitating the terrain and ground work for the divide and conquer framework in which the Hutu's and Tutsi's massacred each other causing the death and genocide of 1 million people, the genocidal events were fuelled by propaganda with the use of cartoons, caricatures and satirical media by both sides. As in the case of the Holocaust with the Nazi regime and other European powers, these forms of expression were dehumanizing a particular group of people based on race, ethnic or religious lines in the name of freedom of expression, freedom of speech and freedom of opinion-again in collusion and with impunity by the political-legal system in place.[4]

﻿Islam, Arabs and Muslims: New material for genocidal 'othering'﻿

Upon an analysis of the institutional history of Charlie Hebdo, its functioning as a media outlet demonstrates the same above mentioned dynamics as the magazines and media forums that were fuelling the events that led to the Holocaust as well as the situation in Rwanda through the use of cartoons and caricatures targeting a specific group of people based on their racial, ethnic or religious lines; including the impunity and support for the said genocidal politics by the political-legal system in place. Starting in 2000, one of Charlie Hebdo's journalist's was dismissed for criticism of an article that referred to Palestinians as "non-civilized."[5] This was followed by a 2006 edition whereby cartoons in relation to Islam, Arabs and Prophet Mohammad were condemned and a lawsuit was filed by the Grand Mosque, The Muslim World League and the Union of French Islamic Organizations for incitement of racism and Islamaphobia.[6] Due to the sheer political support received in court for Charlie Hebdo, the case was dismissed and the editor charged was acquitted.[7] After the court incident, two more incidents occurred with editions published in 2011 and 2012, which received equal political support as well.[8]

Therefore the systemic incitement of racism and hate demonstrated in the dehumanizing and stereotypical nature of Charlie Hebdo's cartoons and caricatures embedded in the editions released both before and after the events[9], from referring to the Prophet Mohammad as a "womanizing baffoon"[10] to the overall covert and overt messages of inferiority and barbarism in relation to Arabs, Muslims and Islam are prompting the justification for incitement of hate and dehumanization against a particular group of people based on racial, ethnic or religious lines- evident in the perception and overall situational circumstances of Arabs and Muslims across the European continent.[11] Yet the response by the world populace is joining the "Je Suis Charlie" rant en masse-the same people who would be crying their crocodile tears at genocide commemorations and saying Never Again.

The recent constructive developments between United States and Cuba must be seen as a product of failed U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and its connection to Latin America via Guantanamo Bay.As the world readily moves into a New Year; the United States of America has started off with a New Year resolution that the world did not expect- restoring diplomatic ties with Cuba more than five decades later. The restoration of diplomatic ties between the United States and Cuba was prompted after the release and exposure of the gruesome details within the CIA Torture Report produced by the Senate Intelligence Committee in relation to the “enhanced interrogation techniques” used against Guantanamo Bay prisoners. Ironically, the problematic nature of U.S foreign policy in the Middle East as demonstrated with the curse of Guantanamo Bay turned out to be a blessing for Cuba based on various events that transpired in the region in connection to Middle Eastern political affairs.

Setting aside the fact that Cuba has been under an embargo imposed by the United States since the 1960’s which continues to this day; Guantanamo Bay has been leased to the United States by Cuba since 1903 through an agreement known as the Cuban-American Treaty. The United States pays a yearly amount of $4,085USD to Cuba- monies of which Cuba has not officially collected for over half a century.[1] Further to the fact that the prison facility continues to operate and mistreat the innocent majority detained arbitrarily without charge[2]; the United States released six of the inmates to Uruguay; a country that made the humanitarian gesture to give a new home to the inmates which included the mention of lifting the decades old embargo on Cuba.[3]

Given this information, the situation in Cuba resembles the situation in the Gaza Strip with the Israeli blockade imposed on the Palestinian territory in collusion with countries like the United States for similar reasons as Cuba- refusal to be occupied or subject to politico-economic imperialism and wanting to be free and self-determined. The blockade in the Gaza Strip started post election win of the revolutionary government of Hamas in 2006 who like Cuba pushed out both an occupying imperialist entity such as Israel as per the Disengagement Plan of 2005 as well as corrupt dictators who facilitate and collude in supporting the implementation of such a political reality in the Gaza Strip via the failed attempt of the Dayton Project-similar in project and results to the Bay of Pigs campaign against Cuba.

Israel: A Strategic Liability for both U.S. Middle Eastern and U.S. Latin American relations

Since 1992, a United Nations General Assembly Resolution has been introduced every year to vote on ending the United States embargo on Cuba. Only two countries continuously voted against the resolution- the United States and Israel.[4] In fact, the recent developments and mending of ties between the United States and Cuba has not received official support by Israel.[5] Furthermore, Operation Protective Edge; the latest military campaign by Israel against the Palestinians has been met with the strongest objection from Latin American countries; thereby creating an increased support of the Palestinian struggle in the overall region-shifting the political spectrum even further against the United States.[6]

Israel’s involvement in Latin America and its connection to Palestine and Middle East affairs takes many disturbing shapes and forms; most notably its exportation of death and security related matters in the region. Given the fact that the Latin American region is rich in indigenous culture and presence- clearly demonstrated within the exceptional regional court cases and decisions of the Inter American Court of Human Rights, Israel has a past and present history of training governments of the region particularly in relation to suppression and violence and the terrorizing of local and indigenous peoples; a phenomena also known as “the exportation of the Palestinian occupation.”[7]

Notwithstanding the fact that Israel was designated as a terrorist state by Bolivia[8]- a Latin American country with a majority indigenous population; one of the ways that Israel facilitates its ongoing colonization and occupation of the Palestinians is through the sophisticated use of torture. More than 200 methods of torture are used against the Palestinians, including torture against women and children under the legal cover of "moderate physical pressure."[9] Furthermore, the absolute prohibition of torture and its use on Palestinians by Israel was clearly mentioned in the latest report by the Special Rapporteur Richard Falk dated January 13, 2014 citing the violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.[10]

Given the above mentioned information, it is worth noting that the CIA Torture Report produced by the Senate Committee on the treatment of Guantanamo prisoners contained legal provisions and justifications from Israeli Supreme Court cases that provided legal backing and justifications for committing acts of or related to torture that are absolutely prohibited.[11] Yet, given the nature of the illegal and criminal situational circumstances that Israel is involved in; the United States has and continues to demonstrate complacency via the use of their veto power on any international resolution or decision rendered against Israel including the launching of an international investigation probe in relation to war crimes committed during Operation Protective Edge[12] as well as the latest Security Council Resolution drafted; attempting to set a timeline for the withdrawal of Israel's occupation. [13]

Guantanamo Bay: Exposure and Naming and Shaming

Therefore, the CIA Torture Report was significant in many ways in terms of its naming and shaming affects on foreign policy shifting. The report exposed the nature of the failure of counterinsurgency tactics and the politics of preventative measures- demonstrated one way through the rise of the Islamic State and their use of the same torture tactics conducted in Guantanamo Bay.[14] It exposed and reinforced the criminality and violations of international law by the United States in relation to the War on Terror in collusion with the State of Israel based on the incestuous relationship between the two in both the Middle East and Latin American region given the nature of the facts. Last but not least, it proved that the United States twisted and disturbing relationship with Israel proved to be indeed a strategic liability for both the Middle East and Latin America.[15]

The mending of ties between the United States and Cuba could have the potential to become the beginning of the end of this relationship of strategic liability; thereby making Guantanamo Bay a double edged sword as it has turned out to be both a curse and a blessing. The United States, if they were to follow the same principle with respect to restoration of diplomatic ties with Cuba, ought to do the same with diplomatic ties with Hamas as opposed to refusing to acknowledge their important and legitimate role in Palestine and Palestinian politics. Like Cuba, this would mean, a chance for a new beginning for the United States in the region, to amend political damage as a result of their unconditional support for a terrorist and occupying state. Guantanamo Bay and the CIA Torture Report was the perfect chance in the Cuban context-Operation Protective Edge is the perfect chance in the Palestinian context. The United States have two directions to navigate in-towards ending blockades and enhancing their role and relationships in both contexts or continue in colluding the support of these blockades alongside Israel; thereby facing the consequence of continued political blockage via isolation and alienation in both regions.

The centuries of European anti-Semitism against Jews of Europe gave birth to the creation of the Zionist movement that aimed to establish a state for the Jews via the colonization of Palestine as clearly set out in the Basle Program during the First Zionist Congress in 1897.[1] It is important to remind ourselves that during these Zionist plans of colonization, support for these plans were exacerbated as a result of Germany, the birth place of Nazism and the Holocaust along with the allied support of countries like Hungary of which the founder of Zionism; Theodor Herzl came from; that to this day have demonstrated the epitome of fascism and reinvention of the Third Reich.[2]

Setting aside the recent rise in Anti-Semitic rhetoric in Germany against Jews and Arabs/Muslims,[3] Germany has provided a contract recently to Elbit,[4] an Israeli military technology and weapons company that tests it's products on Palestinians; latest being during Operation Protective Edge, rendering the Palestinians in the illegally blockaded Gaza Strip as rodents in a concentration camp style laboratory;[5] the same genocidal tactic used by the Nazis with Eugenics policies as well as Operation Paper Clip during and post World War II respectively. The world tends to forget that the Zionists have adopted the Anti-Semitism and learned behavior of their European oppressors such as Nazi Germany to be applied against another Semitic people- the Palestinians in the name of fighting Anti-Semitism. The State of Israel was built on Anti-Semitic terrorism via the works of the Stern gangs of Irgun, Hagana and Lehi causing the ethnic cleansing of another Semitic people-the Palestinians executed in a fourfold plan; Plan Aleph, Plan Bet, Plan Gimel and Plan Dalet respectively which included massacres such as Deir Yassin and mass rapes of the population.[6] Notwithstanding the raping of the Semitic lands and the raping and ethnic cleansing of a Semitic people historically and contemporarily,[7] the world continues to ignore how Zionism is the new form of Nazism and Anti-Semitism that has and continues to attempt to erase Palestine and the Palestinians through the countless methods of bureaucratic and military methods of incremental genocide such as Operation Protective Edge.[8]In fact Zionist Stern gang groups like Lehi attempted to form alliances with Nazi Germany twice to fight the British in exchange for transferring Jews to Palestine via the Haavara Agreement of 1933[9] as they were perceived as the lesser evil in comparison to the British and believed in creating a Jewish state based on principles of totalitarianism.[10]

Notwithstanding that international law had clearly reflected this new form of Anti-Semitism via the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3379 that was later abrogated by the United States, countries like Hungary have brought people like Raphael Patai; an ardent Zionist who produced racist and Anti-Semitic writings such as "The Arab Mind" and "The Jewish Mind" attempting to reinforce through intellectual Zionism that Arabs are "inferior" and "barbaric" in comparison to their Jewish counterparts who are "intelligent", "superior" and "civilized", the same way Nazis attempted to portray the Aryan race as the superior race in comparison to the Jews.[11] Even more disturbing is the fact that these writings were a product and as a result of the United Nations hiring Zionists like Patai to direct research projects in "human relations" in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan during the 1950's also known as the Human Relation Files serving the same purpose as the dynamics within Operation Paper Clip in relation to the United States and Canada. It is worth noting that whilst these ardent Zionists like Patai come from places like Hungary; the Anti-Semitism against Jews historically and contemporarily from Hungary remains as potent as the products of such Anti-Semitism via Zionists like Patai and his racist jargon.[12]

Zionism: The Greatest form of Anti-Semitism post Nazism

The logic of racialization, exceptionalism and elimination is deeply cemented and embedded in the Zionist ideology; further demonstrated with the Anti-Semitic settler colonial state apparatus of Israel with Jewish only land ownership, Jewish only settlements, Jewish only buses, Jewish only roads all at the expense of the constant attempt to erase another Semitic people- the Palestinians.[13] Most importantly, the Zionist colonial project has demonstrated clearly their Anti-Semitic stance on religious and spiritual sites of the Palestinians with the historical and contemporary incursions and plans to excavate under and around Al Aqsa Mosque also known as Plan 2020. Encroachment on Al Aqsa mosque by Ariel Sharon in 2000 which sparked the second intifada also known as Al Aqsa intifada is being repeated again with right wing politicians making the same encroachment tactics today post Operation Protective Edge in 2014 considered as the beginnings of a potential third intifada.[14]

Moreover, prior to Operation Protective Edge mosques and churches have and continued to be targeted and vandalized, so extreme to the point that Pope Francis attempted to pay a visit to the Holy Land to address the excessive targeting of the Christian Palestinians and their places of worship that was filled with racist graffiti and cruel vandalism to which nothing has changed as demonstrated both prior and post Operation Protective Edge given the current circumstances.[15] Israeli meddling and molestation of Al Aqsa mosque and their Judaisation plans of Jerusalem; also reflected in the overall ethnic cleaning policy on land annexation, settlement building and manipulation of population demographics is not new. Furthermore, let us not forget Baruch Goldstein, an Israeli settler who committed the 1994 Cave of the Patriarchs massacre of Palestinians in the Mosque of Abraham during prayer times in the holy month of Ramadan. Vandalism and desecration of religious, holy and spiritual sites of the Palestinians, is not a new phenomenon; it is systemic as it is the essence of Zionist and colonial ideology.[16] Baruch Goldstein and people of the same ideological caliber are also usually members of the Jewish Defense League, an organization that not only is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union and even Israel but it has been denounced by the Anti-Defamation League for its disservice in relation to the fight against Anti-Semitism. Last but not least, the Jewish Defense League has alliances with neo-Nazi parties like the British Nationalist Party; both of whom share the common Anti-Semitic ideology- racism against Arabs/Muslims.[17]

Hence, we have an Anti-Semitic movement called the Zionist movement that built a State on Anti-Semitic terrorism thought out in 1799 during Napoleons presence in the region, inherited 30 years later by the British and executed in 1948;[18] exacerbated in 1967 and continues to this date with Operation Protective Edge and the events thereafter. Yet, the German-Hungarian neo-Nazis through their problem of selective thinking either further their Anti-Semitism against Jews in the name of protesting against Israeli conduct towards Palestinians or focus on the events of the newly introduced isolated incidents of Palestinian attacks on the synagogues; a by-product of Israeli occupation[19] as well as silence and impunity to the past and present war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Israel against the Palestinians; to use as a platform for their Islamophobic stances and reinforce the narrative of Zionism that they are victims of Anti-Semitism in Palestine emotionally blackmailing the world at the expense of the Palestinians and distracting the world from the crux of the issue; the genocidal campaign of Zionism. Again, like the Nazis, the Zionists have adopted staunch capabilities of using propaganda and media like the Hasbara Project to convince the world of their racist and xenophobic rhetoric via the warping of truth in relation to threat, the same way the Nazis did when it came to the Jews.[20] The French media has been exemplary in this respect as they have recently been guilty of furthering the oppression of Palestinians through the promotion of these emotionally blackmailing and character assassinating narratives that serve the interests of State of Israel. [21]

If there is anything that Palestinians and Israeli's can realize towards any potential for peaceful co-existence and unity, it is first through the realization that Nazism and European Anti-Semitism such as the likes of Germany and Hungary in this case is the root and causal affect of the problem to both people today. Zionism as the mirror effect of German-Hungarian Anti-Semitism has created today's Israel- the Nazis and the Palestinians have become the Jews. The "negotiations" process and now "recognition" trend by European nations are doing nothing but diverting attention and distracting from this core problem which should be geared to one direction; the negotiations on how to address Nazism which includes the recognition of the problem of Nazism both old and new[22] and plans to eliminate such ideology by starting with uniting against Zionism as a first step because like Nazism; it is an enemy to both Israelis and Palestinians; as both are Semites and victims of Anti-Semitism from the same source. This is how the final intifada should look like; the militant and united Semitic stand against European racism such as the likes of German-Hungarian anti-Semitism.

The Harper Government's historical and contemporary politics has evidently and potentially placed Canada in the ranks of an Apartheid State after South Africa and Israel at the expense of its indigenous peoples and "multicultural" social fabric.

Following Canada's recent rejection of a landmark United Nations indigenous rights document[1]; the only United Nations member in the world to have taken this stance, Canada's international status is navigating into a dark and disturbing course. Notwithstanding their recent loss of the United Nations Security Council seat, they have been subject of a staunch and telling report by the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples earlier this year.[2] In addition to the continued legislation imposed on indigenous peoples and their affairs that is fuelled by complex and institutionalized gender discrimination, the rampant and disturbing statistics of missing indigenous women that Amnesty International[3] has reported on as well as the Special Rapporteur having demanded an inquiry be conducted was dismissed and refused to be adhered to by the government due to the Royal Canadian Mounty Police deeming it unnecessary. Furthermore and most importantly, one of the main issues reminded and reinforced in the report was the infamous Indian Act, 1876 that has been and continues to be responsible for driving indigenous peoples into collective self-destruction. The Indian Act, 1876 is a racist legislation that subjugates and subordinates indigenous peoples of Canada and their affairs to the federal government. The state sponsored racism is reflected in the racialized statistics that demonstrate predominance of indigenous peoples in relation to negative situational circumstances in all political, socio-economic and legal affairs.[4]

Setting aside the historical and continued racism towards indigenous peoples from the time of first contact between the European settlers and indigenous peoples including the violation of their right to self-determination, we now have another form of racism being legislated like the Indian Act, 1876 and that is Bill C-24 also known as Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act. This bill which is now law in the country creates categories of first class and second class Canadians[5] including the power to strip away nationality and specifically targeting those who are of dual citizenship[6], all in the name of security.

The Politics of Color in Canada

Before understanding the contemporary political situational circumstances in Canada, it is critical to understand the historical roots of the Conservative party of Canada led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper governing the country today. The current Conservative party of Canada is a merger between the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party. The Canadian Alliance was a successor to what was known as the Reform Party which existed from 1987-2000; became the Canadian Alliance in 2000 and lasted until 2003 whereby the merging of them with the Progressive Conservatives occurred. The Reform Party was an ultra-right wing party that advocated for the complete dismantling of government responsibility in relation to indigenous situational circumstances and preached staunch anti-immigration and anti-multicultural policies. The three most exclusive, influential and outspoken speakers of the party were Preston Manning, the sole leader of the Reform Party who is currently retired from politics, Stan Waters the Reform Party foreign affairs spokesman and first to be elected as Senator for the Party and Stephen Harper, Chief Policy Officer of the Reform Party where he designed the Reform Party campaign platform and is currently the Prime Minister of Canada.

The Reform Party was sympathetic to the Apartheid Regime and were critical of the Canadian government's negative stance on Apartheid rule including the release of Nelson Mandela from prison which they tried to influence and change. There were many high-profile pro Apartheid activists in the party namely Herb Grubel, Donavan Carter, K.H.W. Hillborn and Arthur Child- who is the only Canadian to have received the apartheid regime's medal of honour.[7] Notwithstanding the parties organizational and promotional events of pro-apartheid rule, the party and particularly Stephen Harper were involved with groups called the Heritage Front and the Northern Foundation. These groups were racist white supremacist organizations that were openly pro-Apartheid and supportive of the Reform Party. Many, if not all of the Reform Party were members of the Heritage Front and the Northern Foundation including Stephen Harper who in fact used these white supremacist groups as security during campaigns or party meetings.[8]

Setting aside the fact that South Africa's Apartheid regime was inspired and mentored by Canada[9] and its particular historical and contemporary relationship with its indigenous peoples[10] and further reinforced by Glenn Babb's visit to an indigenous reservation in 1993[11], Canada's evident apartheid is in a two-tiered form, one by the regime against its indigenous peoples and the other by the regime against its non-indigenous, non-white immigrant population reflected through its immigration policies historically and contemporarily as a settler colonial state.[12] The current government of Canada and its present residues of pro Apartheid individuals governing the country are taking this already institutionalized racism to a new level, rendering it a potential and evident Apartheid State under international law.

Notwithstanding the pro-apartheid residues reflected in the Harper government's approval of a refugee case claimed by an Afrikaner fleeing political persecution in 2009[13], the said government ignored the indigenous community of Attawapiskat's call for a State of Emergency as a result of its subhuman and fourth world conditions that the community is living under. As a result of the lack of action by the Harper government, the Canadian Red Cross had to intervene to address this community living under these deeply disturbing socio-economic conditions. The very same community has the South African DeBeers Diamond Mining Company, infamous for its aiding and abetting the Apartheid regime in South Africa as well as destroying an indigenous community in Botswana[14]; now making millions of dollars excavating diamonds from the indigenous community in Canada, the royalties of which are going to the Province of Ontario as opposed to the community that is left to live under the above mentioned disturbing situational circumstances.[15]

Furthermore, the Harper government's staunch, unequivocal and unconditional support for the State of Israel, a state that has been designated as a terrorist state[16], responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including Apartheid[17] as a result of the presence of an illegal Apartheid wall, illegal Jewish only settlements, Jewish only roads and Jewish only buses[18] further demonstrates the pro-Apartheid residues of the current Canadian government. In fact, Canadian companies like Green Park International and Green Mount International are assisting in building this apartheid infrastructure of which a legal case has been filed against them.[19] It is worth noting that not only was the State of Israel supportive of the Apartheid regime in South Africa and assisted them with nuclear weapons[20], the Goldstone report; a UN inquiry into war crimes committed by Israel during Operation Cast Lead in 2008 found evidence of up to 75 Afrikaners fighting with the Israel Defense Forces.[21]Last but not least, the Jewish Defense League is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States[22] and European Union; denounced by the Anti-Defamation League for their violent extremism and racism[23] and yet they have an office in Canada and operate legally. In fact, the Jewish Defense League has made alliances with the British National Party which is a white supremacist, anti-Semitic organization[24]. Most importantly, the Jewish Defense League relate their "cause" to the White Afrikaners of South Africa[25] further demonstrating Canada's facilitation of the politics of apartheid.

The Color of Democracy in Canada

With the historical context mentioned, the contemporary does not look much different given the stances and conduct of our current government led by Stephen Harper. The Harper government has cancelled the Court Challenges Program, a government fund made available to citizens to challenge decisions that were related to language and equality rights as guaranteed in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; demonstrating their racist anti-multicultural and anti-immigration policies that are in actuality in violation of Section 27 of the said Charter. Now, with the codification of the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act concerns of which were expressed by Amnesty International,[26] its affects are already taking place in terms of its anti-immigration and anti-multicultural stance.[27]

Canada is a monist state meaning international law is incorporated or enmeshed within Canadian domestic law. Therefore, any violation of domestic law in Canada, is simultaneously a violation of international law. Setting aside the various violations of the Charter in relation to indigenous and non-white immigrant affairs, Canada is in violation of the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid, thereby committing crimes against humanity as a result of its Apartheid type policies and decisions as per international law; mainly Articles 2(c)(d) and (f) as well as Article 3(a) and (b) respectively.[28]

History has clearly shown the international community what Apartheid systems lead to and most importantly that history repeats itself as humanity does not learn from history. The Apartheid regime in South Africa had to deal with the insurgency of the African National Congress led by Nelson Mandela. In Israel, the Apartheid regime had to deal with the insurgency of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Hamas and Tanzim led by "the Palestinian Mandela"-currently imprisoned.[29] Given these facts, reports of potential indigenous insurgencies being ripe in Canada as a result of such similar contextual dynamics is not surprising.[30] Based on the incestuous relationship between Canada, Israel and South Africa in relation to Apartheid; the upcoming elections of October 19, 2015 will demonstrate and test what the color of democracy is in Canada and reinforcing the two options learned from history; the ballot box or the bullet box. Let's pray it's the former.